


to the end of the universe

by onlyeverthus



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode AU: s02e13 Doomsday, Episode Fix-It: s02e13 Doomsday, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 19:11:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12065244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyeverthus/pseuds/onlyeverthus
Summary: In which Rose does not let go, and she and the Doctor start on the path to creating forever together.





	to the end of the universe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rowofstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowofstars/gifts).



> A birthday present for my most favorite person <333

Her fingers slipped on the lever, and she screamed, a sound of pure terror.

"Hold on!" he shouted over the howling wind, his hearts in his throat, willing the breach to close before the Void could swallow her up too.

As he watched, she screwed her face up in determination, and over the course of several agonizing moments, she managed to pull herself up enough to wrap her arms around the lever, and held on for dear life. He couldn't take his eyes off her, afraid that if he looked away, the Void would claim her.

Finally, the breach closed, and a heavy silence settled over the room, broken only by the sound of their breathing. He let go of his clamp and rushed over to her, falling to his knees beside her so he could see her face.

"Rose, it's over," he said, lifting his hand to her back as he inched closer to her. "You're safe."

After a moment, she lifted her head to look at him, and he could see the tears on her cheeks. She breathed his name, and let go of the lever to wrap her arms around his neck, sobbing against his shoulder as she clung to him. He held her trembling body, so relieved that she was still here, that he could still put his arms around her and hold her.

"We should go," he murmured after a minute, picking up on the sound of sirens through the shattered windows. "Okay?"

Rose nodded, sniffling and taking a shaky breath, and they stood and hurried down to the basement, where the TARDIS was still parked. A couple of minutes later, they were back at the Powell Estate, and they emerged into the playground where they'd arrived just hours ago. He couldn't believe so much had happened in such a short amount of time.

Rose stood for a long moment, staring up at the sky, and then looked over at him, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"I just... can't believe I'm still here," she said softly, reaching for his hand. "Still with you."

"The way it should be," he replied, squeezing her hand and smiling back at her before looking up at the building. "I thought maybe you'd want to get some things before... before we left."

"Oh, right, yeah," she said, and they started towards the stairwell door.

They pushed into the flat a couple of minutes later, and he watched her closely as they stepped inside. It hadn't seemed to hit her yet, and he stayed silent as she packed up her clothes and a few knickknacks and keepsakes.

They carried the bags into the hallway, and he opened the door, but when he turned, she had stopped in her tracks and was staring into the room across the hall from hers.

Swallowing hard, he set the bag down and gently closed the door as he stepped towards her.

"Mum's gone," she whispered, and shook her head. "I mean... I knew once she was over there, she'd be stuck there, but it didn't..."

She shook her head again and stepped into her mother's bedroom, and he followed her, watching as she looked around at all that was left of Jackie. She sank slowly onto the edge of the bed, staring at the dressing table that contained an array of makeup, and perfume, and hairbrushes, and her eyes shone as she looked up at him again.

"My mum's gone," she said, her chin quivering. "I didn't think –"

Abruptly, she burst into tears, her head falling into her hands, and he moved to sit next to her, pulling her into his arms and holding her as she cried.

"She's not dead, Rose," he murmured. "Remember that. She's not here, but she's definitely still alive. I know you're gonna miss her, and I know she's gonna miss you, and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Maybe – maybe we can still see her –"

Rose sniffled as she shook her head. "Don't say that. We both know that's impossible."

"Nothing's impossible," he replied, lifting his hand to stroke her hair.

Rose sniffled and shook her head again. "I know this was my choice, to stay with you and leave Mum behind, but it just – it didn't hit me until now."

"I was going to put both you and Jackie on the list of the dead at Torchwood," the Doctor said softly. "I figured that would be the simplest explanation for why she's gone, and you as well."

Rose took a deep breath and nodded. "That makes sense. I don't know if I would want to come back here. There's nothing left for me now."

The Doctor didn't respond, just rubbed his hand along Rose's upper arm, and they sat quietly for a few minutes before she took another breath.

"Okay. I wanna get some stuff, Mum's photo albums and some other things, and then we can go."

The Doctor nodded, and took what he could carry of Rose's bags down to the TARDIS to give her some time alone. When he returned to the flat, she was waiting for him with a midsized box under one arm, and another bag hanging from her fingers.

"I'm ready now."

They returned to the TARDIS, and he helped carry her things to her room before heading back out to the console room to get them off the planet, feeling like they needed some literal space.

Rose hadn't emerged from her room by the time the ship was idling, and the Doctor went back to check on her.

She was sitting on the edge of her bed, hands braced on the mattress on either side of her, and her shoulders were hunched, her head bowed.

"Rose?" he said softly, and she looked up at him, her eyes once again shining with tears.

"This has been the longest day of my life," she murmured, shaking her head. "I've lost Mum, I've lost Mickey – again. I've lost my home."

The Doctor leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, but said nothing, wanting to let Rose say what she needed to say.

"But when I think about how much it scared me to even think of losing you... This pain will go away, but I don't think I could bear the pain of losing you."

The Doctor stayed silent for a long moment, and then shook his head. "I couldn't bear losing you either."

A smile flickered across Rose's face, and the Doctor smiled too before taking a step back.

"I'll give you some time alone," he murmured, and turned to go, but then Rose's hand was on his arm, pulling him back around.

"I don't need time alone," she whispered, her hand sliding to his shoulder. "I need time with you."

Her arms looped around his neck as she pushed on her toes to kiss him, and he wasted no time in kissing her back, his arms sliding around her waist to hold her to him. Ever since she hugged him back at Torchwood, he'd wanted to hold her, and touch her, and never, ever stop, but hadn't wanted to suggest it first, not sure what kind of grieving period she might need. This could be a way for her to cope, but he wasn't going to argue with her, or try to tell her what he thought she needed. He just wanted to give her everything she wanted.

She pulled him towards the bed, both of them shedding clothing as they went, and soon he was over her, his hips brushing her inner thighs as he settled between them. His lips pressed against her jaw, and her neck, and her chest, wanting to mark her all over, a reminder that she was really his now.

"Doctor," she breathed in his ear, her thighs squeezing his hips as she combed her fingers through his hair. "My Doctor."

"Forever," he whispered over her lips before kissing her and lifting his hips to slide slowly inside of her. She gasped into his mouth, her hands gripping his sides as he moved, and kissed him again.

The sounds she made were like music to his ears, and it hit him how close he'd come to never hearing them again, to never feeling her body under his, to never kissing her again, never seeing her in the morning, never again seeing that brilliant, beautiful smile that was so unique to her. If he'd lost her, he didn't know what he would've done, but he knows it wouldn't have been good.

They moved together, her hands pressed against his back, her hips pushing against his, and when she came, her arms fell back on either side of her head as she cried out, her fingers tight on the edge of her pillow. He lifted his hands to slide his palms over hers, and she gripped his fingers, their hands locked together as he continued thrusting until he came just a few seconds later.

He slumped over her, letting go of her hands so he could brace his forearms against the mattress, and they lay close for a few moments, his face buried in the curve of her neck as her fingers absently stroked his hair. Finally, he rolled to the side, and she turned with him, smiling as she looked at him and reached for his hand again.

"I'm so glad I still have you," she said softly.

"Me too," he replied, rubbing his thumb over her knuckle.

"Everything feels so different," she remarked. "Like it's all brand new again."

The Doctor nodded. "It's almost like... every time I regenerate. I've seen it all before, but seeing it all again is both familiar and new. This feels sort of like that." He smiled. "I like it."

"Me too," she said, smiling back. "It's like a new adventure."

He grinned and nodded, and they fell silent, his thumb still stroking her skin as her brown eyes surveyed his face. He could tell she was thinking about something, but he stayed silent, waiting to see if she would tell him what was on her mind.

Finally, she took a breath, and pressed her lips together before whispering, "I love you."

The reply caught in his throat, and he held her hand tighter as he leaned forward to kiss her. She smiled again when the kiss broke, and lifted her hand to his cheek, though he could see a glimmer of something on her face, something like hurt, and disappointment, and confusion, all condensed into the tiny wrinkle between her eyebrows.

They lay together, not speaking much, until she fell asleep. He didn't move, still staring at her, admiring the line of her neck, and the curve of her shoulder, the soft swell of her breast, and the turn of her wrist where her hand lay beside her on the bed.

He lifted his hand to slide it inside of hers once more, and took a deep breath.

"I love you too, Rose Tyler."

He would tell her again when she woke up. He'd tell her again as often as he could, because there was no longer time for being evasive, and swallowing his true feelings. She'd given up everything to be with him, and the least he could do was tell her how he felt about her, tell her what she wanted and deserved to hear every day.

She was his now, and he was hers, and they were together, in every way possible, her hand forever inside of his as they ran to the end of the universe.


End file.
